To help women feel safe and comfortable while they run, Front Runner Athletics, Peak Fitness and Physical Therapy, Tiger-Rock Martial Arts and Brooks are teaming up to offer a free self-defense course for women Thursday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. at Peak Fitness' location.
The event is open to the public, and Front Runner representative Laryssa Martinovich is encouraging all women in the community to attend.
"Being an avid runner myself, it's important to know these tools," she said. "I talk to runners all the time, and some women are fearful of running outdoors."
Martinovich said keeping the event free was important to help make it available to as many women as possible. The class is designed to be accessible to women of all ages and fitness levels.
Even if someone has attended self-defense classes in the past, Martinovich said, this would work as a refresher course to help them brush up on their skills.
An eighth-degree black belt and taekwondo grandmaster, Tiger-Rock owner Rick Hall is no stranger to teaching these kinds of classes. He's offered instruction to numerous church groups, businesses including BlueCross BlueShield employees and home health care employees, just to name a few. He said he tries to keep the classes fast and fun, focusing on basics that will be easy to remember should the need to use them ever arise.
While he won't be instructing attendees in the finer points of martial arts, there are several techniques for getting away from someone that Hall said are invaluable.
"It's incredibly useful when someone has their hands on you, so it has to be simple," he said of such moves.
Hall acknowledged self-defense can be a difficult topic and that some women in attendance may have been assaulted in the past, so his emphasis will be on teaching the class in a light, high-energy way.
Hall will be bringing additional instructors from Tiger-Rock so that no matter how many women are in attendance, they'll get the attention and instruction needed.
"The more people who want to learn how to defend themselves, the better," he said.
Snacks and refreshments will be offered, and Brooks will be raffling off a pair of $150 running shoes for anyone who RSVPs on Front Runner Facebook's page.
For more information, visit facebook.com/frontrunnerathletics or call Laryssa Martinovich at 875-3642.
Peak Fitness and Physical Therapy is located at 1819 Broad St. #107.
Email Shane Foley at sfoley@timesfreepress.com.